Subtle
by Shealtiel
Summary: Is there a phrase for the opposite of Stockholm Syndrome? Rated for mature themes, sexual references and mild violence. Fourshot.
1. Subtle

Subtle  
by Shealtiel  
Rated: T for mature themes and violence.  
Summary: Was there a phrase for the opposite of Stockholm Syndrome?

**A/N: Hey guys. Um, this is just something I cooked up a while ago and only recently finished. I know it's not long, but I wanted to get it right. Perfect even. And I don't think I've achieved anything like perfection, but I do like this, so we'll see how you guys like it. Enjoy. Please.**

**-|XXX|-**

The difference is subtle, hardly noticeable even. But it's there. If he looks closely enough, he can see it. But he's never looked closely at Loony Lovegood. Not even in those months when he was forced by his sadistic aunt to torture her, over and over again, every day. He didn't catch her eye; he barely looked in her direction. He certainly never focused on her. It would have been worse then. It would have been gradual, a slow change, impossible to ignore.

He remembers when she had that dreamy look in her eye, however long ago that was. It was there the first time he spotted her, every time there was a 'Loony' sighting after that. Always he would scoff at that look in her eye. Never, in his wildest dreams, would he imagine that one day, every day after that first day back, he would wish to see that dreamy look come back. Because now? Now there was nothing but emptiness in those once luminescent icy blue orbs. And it was his entire fault.

No one could go through that much torture and be left unaffected. Most people figure Loony can get through anything. He knows it's not true. The change is subtle, but it's _there_. No one else sees it, but _he_ does. And he can't look at her. He knows she's lonely, he knows she wants to talk to him about it (Loony, Loony Lovegood – Stockholm Syndrome much?) but he can't even look at her in the hallways, can't bear to see that emptiness that he knows is unnatural.

Sometimes he wonders if he's turned her into a robot. Because everything she does is mechanical now. Just going through the motions, as if she's no longer aware of what she does, of what she's fighting for. Nobody else notices of course, because nothing's changed, not really. But he sees her eyes. He doesn't look, of course he doesn't look, but he _sees_. (Yes, there's a difference, and don't look at him like that.)

The thing he's most scared of is that maybe he enjoyed it. Maybe he enjoyed slowly turning her into someone he doesn't recognise, someone no one else sees the difference in because they don't see her in the first place. Just like he didn't before those months in his cellar. Is he a monster? He thinks he must be to enjoy something so sick, so depraved. He doesn't enjoy it anymore, if he ever did. He doesn't enjoy seeing those empty eyes survey him in the hallway every day, accusing him just by the way they look at him, when before they looked through him.

He doesn't know what else to do. Ignoring her seems like his only option and it's what's best – for both of them, no matter what she thinks she wants. He knows it's for the best. It _has_ to be. Because he can't _talk_ to her about it, God _knows_ he'll never be able to do that.

It becomes an obsession. He still doesn't look – oh no. He's never that obvious. He feels a little like a stalker, but then he thinks he's been worse to her, and he figures she'll forgive him. She's forgiven him for the 'worse'. It's funny, because no one knows, but _she_ does. And yet, not a word from her. She doesn't approach him, she keeps her distance. And then he thinks, maybe he was wrong. Is there a phrase for the opposite of Stockholm Syndrome?

**-|XXX|-**


	2. Twisted

Twisted  
by Shealtiel  
Rated: T for mature themes and sexual references.  
Summary: He's slowly realising he's suddenly become the odd one in this pair.

**A/N: Hey dudes and dude...ttes? Um, yeah. So I know there were some people who thought it was more than a Oneshot or something, 'cause they put it on their Story Alert list, and I had originally not planned to continue it... and I guess I'm not, exactly. These are each stand alone in their own way, but they also connect with each other. They all continue with the idea that Draco tortured Luna while she was held captive in his house. They're no longer completely Cannon... just mostly. Enjoy.**

**-|XXX|-**

They're relationship is so messed up. He thinks the worst part is that she's the one cracking the whip and he's the obedient boyfriend. He'd always thought he'd be the one calling the shots, in any and every relationship, but he's the obsessed one here. Sure, she likes him, but he tortured her endlessly, whether it was year ago or not. He doesn't blame her for being stand-offish. (He's sure she wouldn't be with him at all except that it's hard to resist such dog-like devotion. Or is it just obsession?)

He misses the dreamy look she used to have in her eyes. He cringes every time he remembers it's his fault it's no longer there. He loves it now, though when she still had it he scoffed at it. He figures this only makes their relationship more twisted, that he loves something about her that no longer exists, that _he_ destroyed. He's slowly realising he's suddenly become the odd one in this pair.

Sometimes, it's there again, for the shortest second. He remembers the first time he saw it again: when he took her virginity. It somehow made the experience a hundred times better than it would have been. There was a flash in her eyes as they came together and he remembers the euphoric feeling he had for days afterward.

It's rarer now, something he sees hardly once a year maybe, but he lives for those moments, and somehow he knows she does too.

They're relationship is twisted; but they are too.

**-|XXX|-**

**A/N2: You should also probably know that each chapter will have its own title, summary and rating, similar to any stand-alone Oneshot. Thanks. Review if you like. I'm a huge fan of concrit.**


	3. Best

Best  
by Shealtiel  
Rated: T for mature themes.  
Summary: He tried to prepare himself for it, he really did. But now he realises there's no preparing for a broken heart.

**A/N: Here is a third instalment. Enjoy it. This is a fourshot, so far, and I don't think I'll write anymore, so enjoy it while it lasts.**

**-|XXX|-**

He always knew they wouldn't last, but that makes it far from okay. The words bounce around his head for days. _It's over. You hurt me. I'm dying._ He thinks he knows how she feels a little bit. Because without her, he's dying too. And honestly, he knew this day would come, whether they'd been together for nearly ten years or not. He tried to prepare himself for it, he really did. But now he realises there's no preparing for a broken heart.

She's turned him into, God forbid, a compassionate person though, and for once he's not _completely_ absorbed in himself. He honestly wants the best for her, and he knows this is it. Sure, he'll miss their beautiful baby boy, because part of him knows she'll try her very best not to ever let him see Lorcan again, but he wants what's best for them, and this is best.

He just wishes he could take back so much. He wishes so badly that he could be what's best.

**-|XXX|-**


	4. Substitute

Substitute  
by Shealtiel  
Rated: T for mature themes, violence and sexual references.  
Summary: He wants it to be as painful as possible, to remind him what he did to the girl with the dreamy eyes.

**A/N: The last part. Hope you've enjoyed it.**

**-|XXX|-**

When he hears about it, he very nearly kills himself. Astoria finds him in their bedroom with an old-fashioned Muggle knife to his chest. He wants it to be as painful as possible, to remind him what he did to the girl with the dreamy eyes. She stops him of course, holds him while he cries. And it reminds him that this is why he married her. She's actually okay with being second best, and she just wants to heal him.

He knows it's not fair of him to begrudge her a happiness he's already found in the dark haired Slytherin beauty who couldn't be more opposite to her. But he can't stand the idea that some other man will be raising _his_ child, some other man will be there for _his_ son's first birthday, _his_ son's first steps. He can't imagine this new man being Lorcan's first word, he can't think about this 'Rolf' being called dad. He's 'dad'. He's supposed to be.

So he just lets Astoria comfort him, distract him with herself, which actually works, to his surprise.

He finally sees that they're falling out of love with each other, that he cares more for his alienated son than he does for the mother, and somehow, even after everything, it's the last thing in the world he wants to happen. But then, if it brings back that dreamy look in her eyes, he thinks he won't mind so much.

**-|XXX|-**


End file.
